


Don't Take My Sunshine Away

by Sobari



Category: The Kid (2019), The Magnificent Seven (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, Heavily Implied Rape/Non-Con, M/M, Multi, No actual act of it is in this, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 11:59:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18810469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sobari/pseuds/Sobari
Summary: "Goody!" Billy reached for his knives, but Goodnight knew he wouldn't make it in time. Grant already cocked his gun at him.A gunshot rang out and Goodnight's heart stopped.





	Don't Take My Sunshine Away

**Author's Note:**

> I tried my best to recall what happened in the movie. And I also blame hush-pup-py on tumblr for putting this au into my hands.
> 
> Based on [Oceluna's](https://oceluna.tumblr.com/) [gifset](https://oceluna.tumblr.com/post/184782398368).

He didn’t know what he expected when the boy told him of his bastard of an uncle, but it certainly wasn’t the sight of an old face of the past. Billy at the table, more known as Sanjay in this world, stiffened slightly and Goodnight could see his hand was hovering near his knives. Jim was behind them, ready to shoot at a moment's notice.

Even in this life, Billy still preferred his blades over his revolver.

“No one has to die today.” A silent plea.

“Well, ain’t that just one of life’s harsh realities?”

“That’s enough, Faraday.”

Goodnight shifted his line of sight briefly over to Billy for letting that name slip and back on the man that was Rio's uncle. The man, showing no signs of recognition of the name, threw back his head and laugh. The sound was much crueler and harsher than the boyish laugh that rang so sweetly.

“There ain’t no Faraday here. You should teach your servant some English if you want him to goin’ around callin’ out names.” Grant slowly walked up to them and swiped the glass of whiskey out of Billy’s grasp, “He’s a pretty thing, though. I could see why you decided to keep him around.” The man studied Billy with a quick gaze and then dismissed him without another thought.

Billy's eyes cut to Goodnight, but Goodnight was too busy keeping Grant and his henchman in his sights. Grant went on to talk about his father, that was just as a bastard as Grant was, and bluebirds, "And you know what I heard this mornin’? Bluebirds." Grant threw back his head, swallowing the drink in one swig before placing the glass back down, "And that's why I know today’s _my_ lucky day.”

A cold, slimy feeling crawled down the back on his back, settling into the base of his spine where it refused to come out. Goodnight kept his gun trained on Grant, finger curling around the trigger, "No more tricks, Joshua."

“First that chinaman and now you? For a lawman, you sure do get names wrong.”

He didn’t want to do this and he wasn’t sure if he could.

"Now I wouldn't do such a thing to her, bein' family– niece and uncle. So I let my man here," He gestured at the man on the stairs with a grin, a look much similar to the one Goodnight knew so well. Billy's fingers dug discreetly at the back of his leg, dragging the lawman to tune back into the conversation, "Have a go at her. I gotta make sure the goods don't break on me, y' know? And it turns out,"

He took a sip out of the glass that the bartender refilled. He locked his green gaze on the lawman, setting his glass down slowly till it hit the countertops with a small _‘thwack_ ,' "She's quite flexible."

Rage simmered beneath his skin as he uttered how easy it would be to shoot Grant dead compared to shooting his friend that he recently killed. This man was not _their_ Joshua.

Grant’s smile thinned, but it held. Tension draped over them all and the people in the saloon looked nervously towards the door, hoping to escape before bullets start flying.

"I got her! I got her!"

All head jerked towards Rio skidding to a stop on the stairs, holding his sister’s hand and Sara looked utterly distraught, even more so when her eyes landed on the henchman on the staircase. Both of the siblings’ eyes widen as they took in the scene before them.

Billy threw his hairpin at the henchman before he could grab his gun. He shouted in pain as the pin lodged into his hand. Grant fired a shot into the air, causing Goodnight to duck away, giving the man a chance to charge at the siblings. Billy threw another knife at the man, but pure instincts had Grant ducking out of the way so the blade can lodge itself in the wall.

More gunshots shattered glass and tore up wood in the assassin's direction; one shot managed to catch Jim in the leg. Billy threw two more knives at the attackers, each one lodging itself into the crook of their necks or their chest, before rolling over the countertops and ducking behind the bar to take cover.

Screams erupted the saloon as people pushed and shoved to get outside. Pat Garrett pointed his gun at Grant, fully intending on shooting the man dead before he reached the kids, but the Goodnight in him hesitated.

And that was all that was needed for the henchman to slam him against the table behind him and breaking it in the process, causing both of them to tumble onto the ground. The man wasted no time in grabbing the table leg from the rubble and bringing the object down on Goodnight's face over and over again.

Sara and Rio screamed as they tried to scramble back up the stairs only to be thwarted in their attempts when Grant grabbed Rio by the neck and slammed him against the wall.

“NO!” He heard Sara cried and he could make out the sight of Rio struggling in Grant’s grasp as he was dragged out of the saloon. Goodnight felt his skin cutting deep on the sharp edge of the wood as the man kept swinging the weapon, not giving Goodnight a chance to get his bearings.

Goodnight couldn’t see where Billy or Jim was, or how they were doing, but judging by the sounds of gunshots dying off, he was sure they were handling themselves. Now if only he could get out of this predicament.

The man brought up the weapon to deal the final blow. Goodnight shielded his face with his arms as if that would prevent the weapon from stabbing him through. A gunshot rang out making Goodnight flinch. For a moment the two men looked a each other in confusion.

The next gunshot made the man’s body jerk and tumbled off of Goodnight to reveal a sobbing Sara, holding a gun in her tightening grip. She fired again and the man beside him let out a strangled scream. Goodnight looked down to see the glaring hole in the man’s pants.

Oh, good Lord. He wasn't sure if he said that out loud, but the other two were too occupied to hear if he did. Billy yanked Goodnight up to his feet, giving him one quick look over, deciding that he will live and urged him towards the door, "Hurry!"

Goodnight ran outside with Billy at his heels just in time to catch Grant before he has a chance to make it for the stables.

“Joshua, stop!”

Whether it was instincts or whatnot, Grant completely halted in his steps and jerked Rio around with him, his gun pressed against the boy’s temple.

“It’s over… Grant.” Goodnight could feel Billy’s presence behind him like a steel pillar. He swallowed, “It’s over. There’s nowhere for you to run.”

“I’m leavin’,” He stressed as if that was a better word for running, “And I’m taking’ my nephew with me.”

“And every single one of these people is going to tell the tale of how you ran–”

“They know that ain't true!”

"It doesn't matter what's true!" Goodnight shouted, "What matters, is the story they tell when you're gone."

"I don't think that it's fair to be taken in since I ain't the one that killed my brother!" Grant shook Rio roughly to emphasize.

“Well, if you want to talk about fairness, how about this.” Goodnight came up a few steps and drew a line with the toe of his boot, “A duel between you and me.” He slipped his colts into their holsters.

The man let out a small chuckle that sounded normal to anyone’s ears. But Goodnight can still recognize the tint of nervousness in it, “You’re goin’ to make a legend out of me? It’ll be all over, me, killin’ a lawman in a standoff.”

Goodnight only stared him down, “Only if you managed to land a hit.” He said, quietly challenging.

The laughter slipped off of Grant’s face like water. His mouth clamped shut in anger, shoving Rio to the side as he walked up to the line that the lawman created.

“Goody…”

Goodnight tilted his head to the side to address the concerned Billy, “I’ll be alright, mon cher.” Billy gave Goodnight a stern stare before placing a firm hand on his shoulder for a moment and then moved off to the side with Jim and Rio.

“Ten steps.” The lawman reminded and Grant grunted, “Ten!” Both men took a step back. Nervousness flared in his heart and hammered against his chest. If Grant’s skills were anything like Joshua’s in the past, Goodnight knew he didn’t stand a chance. Joshua was always the fastest draw after Sam.

“Five.”

“Four.”

Goodnight’s arm brushed against the pearl-handled colt that reminded him so much of Faraday's Ethel.

“Three.”

Billy shifted out of the corner of his eyes. He knew Billy didn’t approve of this, but it was the only way. He could do it. Or so he desperately hoped.

“Two.”

“Rio!”

The moment he turned his head away to look at the siblings, he knew he made a big mistake.

"Goody!" Billy reached for his knives, but Goodnight knew he wouldn't make it in time. Grant already cocked his gun at him. A gunshot rang out, nearly drowning out the owl's cries and Goodnight's heart stopped.

 

 

 

 

 

Grant stumbled back, gripping at the blooming stain on his chest. Goodnight turned his head to see Rio with his gun out, pointing it at Grant.

The boy’s voice wavered as he breathed heavily, “How’s that for fairness?”

Grant gapped silently, mouth moving with words that no one could hear. Then his eyes landed on Goodnight.

Grant's eyes widened and his mouth moved silently. A single word. Then his eyes slid over to Billy and his eyes softened by a margin.

He took another step back and closed his eyes. His head gave a jerky nod then could be mistaken for a man trying to live, but Goodnight knew better. It couldn't be mistaken for anything else. There was a small twitched of the man's lips, almost like a smile. And then the man tumbled to the ground like a puppet whose strings were cut.

Sara collapsed on the stairs and hugged herself while Rio breathed slowly, trying to keep the tears in and being strong for his sister.

Goodnight stared at the blood seeping out of the hole in Joshua’s chest. He wanted to run over there and shake his body, despite knowing that he was gone.

 _“No.”_ A deep voice growled. Billy pulled Goodnight towards him, turning him around with his hands firmly on his shoulders, “He was not our _Joshua.”_

“But he was.” Came Goodnight’s haunting whisper, “For a moment, he was.” Goodnight heard the name Faraday soundlessly uttered loud and clear,

_“Goodnight.”_

He couldn't unsee it. The man on the ground was Faraday and yet not. He turned his head to look at the body, but Billy's grip on his face halted him. He could feel the slight tremble of the man’s fingers against his cheeks.

“Don’t.” He whispered, “Don’t do that to yourself, Goody. Please.”

“I couldn’t save him.”

“Nothing could’ve been done.”

“I could have–”

“Shhh.” Billy cupped his hands briefly on Goodnight’s cheeks, “Faraday would never blame you. For this.”

Goodnight could reach out and brush the sweaty curls away from Grant’s face, hoping to see the face of Joshua’s one last time. He could.

Instead, Pat pulled Rio into a tight embrace and let the boy cry into his coat while Sanjay called for a medic for Sara and Jim.

And out of the corner of his eyes, the owl fluttered down on top of Grant’s chest and screeched loudly.

**.◈.◈.◈.◈.**

Joshua turned around and threw an arm around Goody, sighing in contentment as Billy raked his fingers through the ginger’s curls without pausing, “Goddamn it, Rocks, you’re better than the saloon ladies. You can do this all day and give me a run for my money. It's a good thing you like me.”

Billy snorted from behind the man, “You better watch what you say.”

“Mhmm.” Joshua hummed, knowing full well that it took more than that for Billy to act on his threat. Plus, it wasn’t worth Joshua’s whining and griping.

“Hey,” Joshua started but trailed off into silence like he was having second thoughts about what he was going to say.

"Something's the matter, Joshua?" Goodnight asked, stretching out the man's name in a ludicrous manner that always made Joshua wrinkled his nose and laughed in exasperation. It never fails. Joshua threw a glare at him once he regained his composure; however, it had no real heat in it.

Joshua's fingers fiddled with the fabric of Goodnight's shirt and the sharpshooter let him take his time in replying, "If…" Joshua played with Goodnight's fingers, his rough fingers curled under Goodnight's palm, "If I ever become like my bastard of a father, promise you'll shoot me?"

Goodnight rose a brow and turned around to see Joshua’s face, “Now where is this coming from, Joshua?” The ginger just shrugged, slowly putting back up his walls. So, Goodnight shook his head, planting a kiss on Joshua’s forehead and pulled away so Billy could do the same with a roll of his dark eyes.

He smiled at Billy and brushed the curls on Joshua's forehead.

“It won’t come to that, mon cher.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry, not sorry. Thank you for reading!


End file.
